Oakland: 17-year-old boy charged with New Year's Eve killing

OAKLAND -- A 17-year-old boy has been charged with murder and will be prosecuted as an adult in the fatal shooting on New Year's Eve of a 21-year-old woman in East Oakland, authorities said Tuesday.

Authorities said Dashawn Cooper is charged with killing Ashlee Walker, of Oakland, a college student and fast-food restaurant worker. She was shot while in a car with three other people who had stopped about 9:15 p.m. Dec. 31 in the 2000 block of 22nd Avenue to meet someone.

Cooper is also charged with three counts of attempted murder because there were other people in the car, none of whom were wounded.

Police said Cooper has denied being involved in the shooting.

Officer Rob Rosin said Cooper lived in the area and did not know anyone in the car. He said police are still trying to determine a motive.

The three others in the car -- two men and a woman who police said were all "hanging out" for New Year's Eve -- drove Walker to Highland Hospital, where she died.

Rosin said witnesses were found after the shooting who helped identify Cooper as the suspect. He was arrested Thursday night near his home. He is being held at Juvenile Hall in San Leandro.

Police said Cooper is also a suspect in another shooting, but no additional details were released since that investigation is ongoing.